Half to frederick n



(No Model.)

H. W. PORTER.

MUSICAL CLOCK.

No. 528,739.. Patented Nov. 6, 1894.

mi scams PETERS 00., Puom-Ll'mu. WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES EErcE.

PATENT HENRY W. PORTER, OF FORESTVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO FREDERICK N. MANROSS, OF SAME PLACE.

MUSICAL CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,739, dated November6, 1894.

Application filed November 27, 1893. Serial No. 492,105. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY W.-PORTER, of Forestville, in the county ofHartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement inMusical Clocks; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken inconnection with accompanying drawings and the letters of referencemarked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, andrepresent, in

Figure 1, a view partly in rear elevation and partly in section of amusical clock constructed in accordance with my invention, and showingboth the clock-movement and the music-box mechanism; Fig. 2, a detachedview in side elevation of the music-box attachment to theclock-movement; Fig. 3, a detail view showing the operating-lever, thespring guard and the stop-wheel of the musicbox mechanism; Fig. 4, adetached view of the springuard of the said mechanism.

My invention relates to an improvement in clocks of that class whichhave music-box mechanisms combined with them, and which are constructedto release those mechanisms for playing at predetermined intervals, theobject of my present invention being to produce a simple construction,not liable to derangement, and imposing but little additional work uponthe time side of the clock-movement. I I

lVith these ends in View, my invention consists in certain details ofconstruction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter describedand pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention, as herein shown, I locate a music-pin A inthe center or main-arbor B of the clock-movement, the said arbor beingdriven in the usual manner, by the time-train thereof, and rotated oncean hour. This pin may be replaced by a cam, which would be an equivalentreleasing device. I may here remark that the clock-movement may, both inits time and strike trains, be of any approved construction, my invention being limited to no particular movement. The said pin A is arrangedto engage with an inwardly turned beveled-finger 0, formed at the upperend of an arm C, which is socured to and extends about vertically upwardfrom the inner end of an oscillating-sleeve D, mounted upon the rear endof an arbor E, secured between the two plates of the movement. The saidsleeve D is rigidly connected with the upper end of the arm F of amusichammer G, which extends downward to the lower edge of the movement.A spring II, encircling the said sleeve, is connected with thehammer-arm and with the movement, in such a manner that it exerts aconstant effort to move the arm C toward the arbor B. The said arm, itmay be here mentioned, is made of sheet-metal, and is elastic, and hasits finger C beveled, so that when the arbor is turned back, as forinstance in setting the clock, the arm will spring out of the Way, andconstitute as the phrase is, a turn-back. It will be understood from theforegoing construction, that once every hour the pin A will raise anddrop the arm C through the finger C thereof. When the pin passes beyondthe said finger, which it is just about to do as shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings, the spring [-1 asserts itself, and causes the hammer G'tosharply strike the upper end of the operating-lever I of the music-boxmechanism, whereby the same is released. The said music-box mechanismmay be of any approved construction, and as herein shown, isindependently organized, which is to say that it has no organic relationto the clock-movement, and is not driven therefrom. It is mountedbetween two heavy movement-plates, only one of which, J, is shown, itsbed K being secured thereto.

Instead of being driven by the ordinary small spring employed inmusic-box mechanisms, it is driven by a large heavy spring L, whichactuates a main wheel M, meshing into the main pinion N of the music-boxtrain, which is of ordinary construction, and does not need description.The actuation of the said music-box train is controlled in the usualmanner by a fiy O, engaged for striking the train by a stop-arm I,forming a member of the operating-lever I. The inner end of the saidlever is constructed with a stop-finger I which enters a hole 10 formedto receive it in a stop-wheel P, which is one of the wheels of themusic-box train, and which is rigidly connected with the drum of thebox. When the stop-finger is lifted out of the said hole by ICC theoscillation of the lever caused by the impact of the hammer G upon itsupper end, the music-box train is released, and carries the drum throughone complete rotation, when it is arrested by the re-entrance of thestop-finger into the said hole under the action of the spring R,attached to the upper end of the lever. A spring-guard S, co-operateswith the stop-finger in order to temporarily close the hole 19 in thestop-wheel P, whereby the stop-finger is prevented from immediatelyreentering the hole before the drum has carried the same out of rangewith the finger. A pin 10 carried by the wheel P, engages with the guardS, to push the same away from the hole preparatory to the re-entrance ofthe finger thereinto.

The operation of the spring-guard is not, broadly speaking, newwith'me,and is thought not to require further description.

The particular mechanism of the music-box may be varied Withoutdeparting from my invention, so long as it is adapted to be operated bya music-hammer substantially such as above described.

By preference I operate the music-hammer through the center-arbor of thetime-train, but that is not necessary, as some other arbor might beemployed. As herein shown the music-box is additional to the clock, anddoes not by playing take the place of the ordinary striking mechanismwhich is designed to be used in the usual manner. If preferred, however,I may dispense with the striking mechanism and play the box on the houror half hour, or otherwise.

In view of the foregoing, I would have it understood that I do not limitmyself to the exact construction herein shown and described, but holdmyself at liberty to make such changes and alterations therein as fairlyfall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I am aware that it is old to release a musicbox mechanism through themedium of a hammer actuated by the time-train of a clockmovement, andacting upon a releasing lever connected with the mechanism. I am alsoaware that it is old to release a music-box mechanism by periodicallydropping a timecontrolled hammer upon a member of the music-boxmechanism. I do not, therefore, claim either of those constructionsbroadly.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a musical-clock, the combination with the center-arbor thereof, ofa releasing dcviee mounted thereupon and rotating there with, anoperating-arm engaged by the said device once during every rotationthereof, and adapted to permit the arbor and device to be turned back, amusic-hammer connected with the said arm and moving therewith, a springfor operating the hammer when it is released, and a music-box mechanismincluding an operating-lever arranged to be struck directly by saidhammer when the same is operated by the said spring, for releasing themechanism, which is adapted to stop automatically after one rotation ofthe drum of the box, substantially as described.

2. In a musical-clock, the combination with the center-arbor thereof, ofareleasing device mounted thereupon and rotating therewith, anoperating-arm arranged to be actuated by the said device, a sleevemounted so as to oscillate upon an arbor located in the movement belowthe main-arbor, and having the said arm rigidly connected with it, ahammer-arm connected with and depending from the said sleeve andcarrying a hammer, a spring connected with the hammer for causing thesame to strike a blow when the operating-arm is released by thereleasing device, and a music-box mechanism containing anoperating-lever which releases the mechanism when it is directly struckby the said hammer, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

HENRY IV. PORTER.

Witnesses:

LULU I. BEACH, HOWARD O. BEACH.

